Anne87

I searched information on the topic as I myself was considering giving birth in the UK. The rude and unfriendly replies from the British citizens have made me change my mind. All I wanted was my husband to be there beside me when I give birth and that is not allowed in our country. But I would rather be somewhere I am welcome rather than treated with suspicion.
I think the U.K citizens should address their government about making sure that their tax money is not paid on anyone undeserving rather than taking out their fears and insecurities on non-U.K people. And some people actually love where they live. Not everybody is looking to migrate. No country is perfect. Just because you guys are British, you don't think that you should put up with the wet weather all the time of the year, do you? You do travel abroad for the sun.
I have lived in the U.K, I have very dear friends among the British who often visit me in my country, and have always spoken affectionately about the place and the people. I am really disappointed. Now I regret talking to my husband regarding giving birth in the U.K. He has never been there, neither have any U.K friends. But I made him believe that we will be treated well if we chose to stay there for the delivery.
Anyway, glad I got to find out the attitude before we actually got there. Having lived in several regions where any of the languages I speak are not spoken by many/not fluently, I understand the concern regarding language very well. Delivery is not the time when you want to ask someone to repeat what they said, or spend several minutes trying to figure out what that phrase directly translated from their mother tongue is meant to mean in English.
Happy about the kinder comments. Well...I do know that there are compassionate people also in the U.K. I know several of them personally.

Worcester

Anne87 I fear as a country we are getting rather senile and the thought of a few Polish plumbers sends us into a hysterics. I mean a good example of this is the value of overseas students to the UK, Ł20 billion before you take into account the value of driving up educational standards or the facilities UK students can benefit from which universities could overwise not afford. But the government to get the figures down restricts the number of visas and make it so difficult and unpleasant it puts people off. Thus the figures drop and the government and newspapers cheer the "success".

The reality is that we have a completely unfunded public pension system and a declining working-age population. How we are meant to pay for that and maintain our living standards no one has yet been able to explain.

Giggleswick

For real? You're making a choice of where to give birth based on the postings of some strangers on an internet forum?

lhrsfo

theddo

I'm not sure it is a drawback in this instance.

stut

I think perhaps this thread has delivered all it needs to. To avoid letting it labour further, I'm going to cut its cord.

stut
MidwifeModerator
UK & Ireland